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Mears Grows Fond of Martinsville
When Casey Mears first broke into NASCAR, Martinsville Speedway wasn’t at the top of his “can’t wait to visit” list. In fact, it was near the bottom. However, time heals all wounds.
During a recent test session in preparation for the Goody’s® Headache Relief Shot® 500 the driver of the No. 13 GEICO Chevy talked about how the historic half-mile speedway has become one of the tracks he looks forward to the most.
“Martinsville has become one of my favorite tracks that we come to all year long,” Mears said. “When I first came here I really had a difficult time with this place and didn’t like it a whole lot, but once I started learning the technique and had a couple of good cars around here, it’s some of the most fun racing that you’ll ever do.”
If it has wheels, there is a good chance Mears has driven it. That’s part of the reason he enjoys racing here so much.
“What I like about Martinsville is it’s kind of a good blend of everything I’ve done throughout my career,” he said. “We did the off-road racing that was inside the stadiums and it was very tight, beating and banging. Then I’ve done Indy car stuff where it was very technical, you can’t touch each other and it’s fast.
“This has a pretty good blend of all of that. It has some pretty good speed, but you know at the same time you can root and gouge and get into guys and I think that’s always what makes Martinsville fun to watch.”
The racing isn’t the only thing that is close. Mears says the track’s size, the smallest in Sprint Cup, provides a unique opportunity for fans in the grandstands.
“I think this is one of the best places for the fans to come. The smaller venues like this, you can see all the way around,” Mears said. “You can see everything going on on the track at all times.”
Advance ticket prices for the Goody’s® Headache Relief Shot® 500 begin at just $40.
Ticket prices increase the week of the race.
Tickets to the Goody’s® Headache Relief Shot® 500 on Oct. 26, the Kroger 200 on Oct. 25 and the Virginia Lottery Pole Day on Oct. 24 can be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.